Known fishing reels of this type have a frame and a line spool rotatably mounted in the frame. To prevent the spool, during casting, from rotating at such a high speed that the line cannot be paid out at the same rate but instead rises, forming a so-called birdnest, these prior-art fishing reels are equipped with a mechanical brake, usually a friction brake. The braking power of the friction brake can be adjusted by means of a turnable knob. To the same end, use is generally made of an additional friction brake in the form of a centrifugal brake.
A prior-art centrifugal brake consists of a ring non-rotatably connected to the line spool and having two diametrically opposed pins projecting radially outwards and each supporting a centrifugal weight which is slidable along the respective pin. During the rotation of the line spool, the centrifugal weights are urged radially outwards so as to engage the inner circumferential surface of a brake ring connected to the frame. During a cast, the rotational speed of the line spool increases rapidly to maximum speed during a relatively short, initial phase of acceleration to thereafter decrease during a longer phase of deceleration. The centrifugal brake is immediately actuated during a cast and thus produces a braking action commencing during the phase of acceleration. During this phase, there is however only a negligible risk of line rise, since it is the line, or more precisely the lure attached to it, that "pulls" the line spool, for which reason the line spool need not be subjected to braking during this phase. Braking the line spool during the phase of acceleration reduces the possibilities of making long casts. When the lure and the line are no longer "pulling" the line spool, i.e. during the phase of deceleration, it is however necessary to brake the line spool to prevent line rise. A further drawback of this prior-art centrifugal brake is that it is difficult to adapt the braking effect of the brake to the weight of the lure since such adaptation can take place only by changing centrifugal weights, which makes it necessary to disassemble the fishing reel.